Made in the USA

Made in the USA
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

Sitting at my desk and surrounded by prototypes, samples, packaging and spec sheets for even more of the above (all manufactured in China), I realized I was out of scotch tape. When I grabbed the refill pack, I noticed the little American flag in the corner along with the "Made in USA" label. Suddenly, it struck me how much of what we buy and consume these days comes from overseas, and I took pride in the fact that here I was using scotch tape, Made in the USA.
It's a small thing, but it's better than nothing.

Thank you, Herb

100% Quality Assured
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

On the news last night and then again this morning Herb Peterson’s smiling face looked back at me as the Media remembered the man who brought us the Egg McMuffin. I love the combination of egg, cheese, ham and English muffin…and so with the coupon Debby had given me on Tuesday* I got myself one this morning.

*Debby gets coffee every morning at McDonald’s and Tuesday morning she waited longer than 90 seconds from when her order was placed to when she got her coffee…so they gave her a coupon for a free breakfast sandwich, which she passed on to me.

Dessert & Wine

Dessert & Wine
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

To celebrate Purim this year, Josh and I made what I call "Hammertime" cookies, but are actually "Hamentashen". What? "Hammertime" is more fun to say? I agree.
We used three different types of jam and then they exploded in the oven. We covered them with fresh berries and all was well.

Reeses in Four Parts

Reeses in Four Parts...March 19
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

In an homage to Josh's Cadbury pics (www.flickr.com/photos/21675418@N06/) I had to do this when I found myself eating a Reeses this morning.

Fun fact: 3 Reeses were used in the making of this. They were all harmed. They were delicious.

Last night's Supper

I felt like Top Chef!

Roasted Acorn Squash and Gorgonzola Flat Bread

Yield: 4 side dish servings

1 (1- pound) acorn squash
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (we used a ¼ tsp total – still great)
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 pound pizza dough (we used pre-made dough from Trader Joe’s, also avail at Genuardis)
1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella (we sliced up some fresh stuff b/c it was cheaper)
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
1 cup arugula (we used spinach b/c we couldn’t find arugula)
Squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the squash in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the seeds. Slice the squash into 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide half moons and place in a medium bowl. Toss the squash with the syrup, olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the squash until tender and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Keep the temperature on the oven at 375 degrees F. Roll out the pizza dough on a flour dusted piece of parchment paper to a 13-inch diameter. Place the pizza and the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the Gorgonzola on the pizza dough. Bake in the oven until golden and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Peel the skins off the squash. Top the cooked pizza with the cooked squash. Toss with arugula with the squeeze of lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Slice and serve.

Original recipe can be found here.

Roasted Acorn Squash Pizza

Pre-Cutting
Originally uploaded by Becca Elizabeth

I really don't think I'll be able to go back to regular pizza, this was just too good. I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen (link on the right) and found out just how easy this was to pull together. Minimal ingredient shopping, too! The recipe took longer than it should have, but only because we were busy trying to photograph all the steps. Definitely part of the fun.
Also good - the manchego cheese (oh my) and the vino! Vidal Blanc from Vintage Ridge winery in Virginia (Thanks Mom & Dad!).

I'll be making more Smitten recipes, and soon.

Comfy

Jack can melt my heart in an instant...

The Devil + Daniel Johnston

The documentary came out a couple years ago, and I had the pleasure of seeing it at the Philadelphia Film Festival when it came to town. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It sent me to A.K.A. Music in search of his CD's and even made me contemplate trying to dig out my old Sony Walkman so I could purchase cassette tapes from his previous manager. The high lasted a couple months, and then eventually his albums became standard rotation in my ipod. Then, in January, I saw "Daniel Johnston coming to Philadelphia!" and had to read it twice. Within minutes I had my ticket. And now the day is here.

Now the snow just needs to stop.

Pink Pills for Pale People

There was an article in Sunday's Inquirer about an exhibit at Haverford college called "Selling Happiness: Advertising in China during the early 1900's". I was instantly intrigued. I love advertising. I love commercials. My friends tease me because I am every retailer's dream consumer. I appreciate good commercials. I don't usually fast forward through them on something I've recorded. It's amazing that I didn't go into marketing & advertising in college. So, without anyone to drag along with me, I headed out to see the collection of posters saved from the early 20th century that had launched advertising in China. I was not disappointed. The allure of these posters was most certainly the depictions of demure, beautiful women, but it was also sometimes a snapshot from a folkloric tale or popular play at the time. The artwork in the posters was so arresting that the drawings of the product they were selling seemed hilariously out of place. In the one I photographed (and I'm sorry, Haverford, if that was not allowed...I couldn't help it!) entitled Pink Pills for Pale People we see a young child with his older sibling and caretaker playing with pill bottles. The horror! I laughed out loud, which I realized was insensitive of me when I read the description and learned that the "pink pills" of the time were attempting to cure a disease still very much relevant today. People began to collect the posters, which were often handed out for free, to use as art in their homes. Portraits of women that had started out being rather conservative (with only the tip of a bound foot peeking out from beneath full dress) began to evolve into something more provocative. Their expressions began to have more personality, their clothing suddenly developed slits up the side, and v-neck collars.
It was a fun exhibit, especially for someone like myself who enjoys ads in general, and my only complaint would be that I wish there had been more information on each of the posters. Due my lack of knowledge when it comes to the Chinese language, I assume that much of the content was lost on me, as I was not able to read the clever slogan at the top, or realize that they'd included a calendar at the bottom.

It did leave me wanting more, and I'm sure to spend a better part of the evening researching more about it. It whet my appetite.

$4.19 a gallon

Really? I mean, Really?

unphotographable

A friend of mine just sent me this website: Unphotographable

The picture I didn't take was Wednesday morning in North Philly as I drove to the PSPCA. My directions took me down 8th street towards Erie Avenue and on my left I passed a house with a vigil set up on the front steps with pictures and teddy bears and an assortment of real and fabric flowers. It was raining, and sad, and then I looked up and on the opposite corner was a deli-type store with a big stenciled sign advertising a sale on "Gravesite Markers: $3.o0" and in front was a selection of just the type of things set up on the porch of the house I had just passed.

The whole experience saddened me, and I'm not even sure I would have wanted to take the picture...but there it is, burned in my head.

Second Skin

Good friends of mine have been toiling away the last 2 years in the universe of internet gaming, all in the name of their first feature-length documentary: Second Skin. It's currently in the final round for SXSW, and they'll hear officially if they get in by Feb 5th. All appendages crossed.


They're talented kids. Kudos, boys.

City Hall Light Bright

Coming back from dinner on the town, took this while crossing the street. It's a popular shot, and I wanted to take it differently than you'd see it every other time...but sometimes the most obvious one really works.

Sunday, Perfect Sunday (in theory)

I was excited to wake up this morning and have my coffee while reading the Sunday paper, the 5 week subscription gifted to me this past Christmas, but when I went outside to pick it up it was the thinnest Sunday paper I'd ever felt. It like like Sunday News Lite. Confused, I made sure it was in fact the weekend paper before allowing myself to realize that someone had ripped me off. No Arts & Entertainment, no Image, no Currents, no coupons or comics. Bummer.
My Paper Thief was kind enough to leave me the front page though, Obama wins South Carolina! Maybe my thief is a Hillary fan, or a republican.
At least I have my coffee and half of last week's news.

Jack, being the super chill awesome kitten that he is, succumbed to Ray Charles for a quick dancing lesson while we waited for the pie to bake. He's just the greatest.

Here's me wrestling with the [homemade] pie dough...I think the flour war-paint adds to the authenticity of it all. Currently waiting for the pie to "settle" so we can eat it. Yum!

Thing-A-Day

Just signed up for Thing-A-Day 2008 (www.thing-a-day.com) and have already come up with some themes. I'm excited!

• Folded Paper/Paper Cutouts
• Fabric: little odd-shaped animals? Ornaments? Puppets?
  
• Cookies
• Cards
• Photo Calendar?